1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a networked, technical data gathering and storing system. More specifically, the present invention relates to an integrated circuit technical data gathering system which provides a client with methods of gathering, editing and analyzing the technical data to produce a tapeout file for a mask.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional semiconductor mask manufacturing requires efficient design and testing of integrated circuits (IC) that is often an extremely complex and time-consuming task due to the large number of electrical components and separate electrical circuits contained in the integrated circuit chip. The complexity of the IC design procedure presents a substantial number of obstacles to successfully produce a final product that performs with minimal errors which is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,726. Final steps of the IC design process prior to mask fabrication include creating and sending a packaged and complete IC chip design file. This is commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ctapeoutxe2x80x9d file process, or xe2x80x9crelease information filexe2x80x9d (RIF) process. The tapeout file is typically referenced and cataloged in an archival data base at the semiconductor manufacturer. The RIF is a text document that contains information pertaining to the technical data of an IC design being sent from a client to the mask manufacturer.
FIG. 1 shows one known xe2x80x9ctapeoutxe2x80x9d process, which does not necessarily constitute prior art and may not be generally known to those ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of filing this application. This process includes a client 10 who sends a final tapeout file to the semiconductor mask manufacturer (MM) 20. During this process, a client packages xe2x80x9ctechnical dataxe2x80x9d files that can exceed several gigabytes in size, which are manually sent via an electronic file transfer protocol (FTP). This process often has errors in the final tapeout file sent to the MM since data is frequently entered manually or electronically, and sent 15 without being checked or verified as a final xe2x80x9ctapeoutxe2x80x9d file. Such events often result in the MM 20 having to check and reverify 17 data once received 18 by the MM. Normally, this requires that the MM check the data as to being complete and accurate. If not, the data is sent back to the client 16. When and if the tapeout is finalized, it is then FTP""d to the MM archival database 19 and normally an electronic-mail acknowledgment 21 is sent to the client.
There are many problems with this process. First, because there is no single and consistent method for sending the tapeout file to MM 18, a manual process has to be in place to review and verify 17 that the tapeout file is accurate. Second, this review process necessitates the need for a rework process 16 whereby the tapeout file can be sent back to the client to be corrected and then resent to MM where it will be reviewed again. Third, this process requires that the tapeout file be sent via FTP, a minimum of two times: first to MM 15 and second to the archival database 19. This increases each time the tapeout file is sent back through the rework process. These problems add labor, expense, cycle time and additional computer network traffic.
Thus, there is need for a system and method that minimizes manual intervention, and standardizes the gathering, editing, and analyzing of technical data related to producing a tapeout file that is complete, accurate and valid prior to archival storage by an MM.
In view of the foregoing and other problems, disadvantages, and drawbacks of the conventional tapeout process, the present invention has been devised, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method which allow clients of a semiconductor mask manufacture (MM) to submit standardized technical data (e.g., design data, test data, design preparation instructions, etc.) from their workstation directly to the MM""s archival data base, in a network process that gathers, edits and analyzes technical data of a particular IC design.
To attain these objectives according to one aspect of the invention, a networked system and method for clients is provided to communicate authenticated, validated and standardized technical data at a reduced expense. The invention automatically checks for accuracy and verifies a tapeout file at the client""s workstation prior to sending to the MM server to be archived. The invention facilitates the sending of very large electronic files automatically using FTP format from a client""s workstation to the MM, thus reducing by over half the volume of data transfers on the MM""s network. Additionally, the invention reduces cycle time required to produce the tapeout file, which in turn also reduces expense in receiving, validating, and archiving a client""s tapeout file. Thus, the method and system of the invention in a computing network generates an integrated circuit (IC) tapeout file at a remote client workstation and transmits prompted IC technical data to the MM. The process validates that the tapeout file is complete and accurate prior to generating the IC tapeout file and archiving in the MM""s database.